“Self – portrait (shaved head, material draped across body) – Claude Cahun (1920)
“à la plage (at the beach)” – Carolle Benitah (2009)
Carolle Benitah and Claude Cahun share both differences and similarities in their works. The theme of identity is an iconic similarity between the two pieces of work, however these artists display them in different ways. Claude Cahun focuses on the idea of self-expression in terms of identity, whereas Carolle Benitah displays how her identity has been formed through childhood and the cultural tradition of embroidery.
Both pieces also have a vintage aesthetic to them, with the use of the monochrome tones and the grainy appearance of the images. Claude Cahun’s self-portrait was taken in 1920, and as the use of colour photography was not widely accessible, all of Cahun’s photos lack colour. On the other hand, although the original images used by Carolle Benitah are also monochromatic, she adds colour physically through sewing and embroidery.
In terms of the actual photography used, Claude Cahun often uses herself as the model in her images, meanwhile Carolle Benitah uses old family photos which display her relations as well as herself. Carolle Benitah’s work could be argued as whether or not they are photography or art as Benitah did not physically take the images herself. The depth of field in both images are difficult to determine as the background consists of empty, negative space.
Another difference between the two images is that Carolle Benitah’s images are often heavily edited, whether it is digitally or physically. This contrasts to Cahun’s work as there is a sense of rawness to them, as digital editing was impossible and there is no evidence of Cahun physically editing her images after printing. However there is an obvious, large time gap between the images being produced, so Carolle Benitah had the accessibility to digitally edit her photographs.
In my opinion, identity is the definition of who you are. This can be shown through appearance, behaviour, hobbies and many other factors. Your identity is formed throughout your lifetime and can be affected by upbringing and the person’s specific influences
In photography, the use of colour, clothing and editing can be used in order to represent someone’s personality to the outside world. The setting of the photograph can also allow us to get to know the person’s identity deeper.
Carolle Benitah
“La vague” (The wave) – Carolle Benitah (2012)
Carolle Benitah, born in 1965, is a French visual artist who combines her old family photos with physical editing techniques such as embroidery to reform her own history. The images Benitah edits are from her past family albums, 40 or so years before she brought them back up to learn more about who she was and how she became that person. Carolle Benitah explains that she uses embroidery and other craft techniques in the editing of her images as those activities were seen as “feminine”, as women were expected to learn to embroider and sew in order to comply to the ‘perfect wide’ stereotype. Benitah previously worked in fashion for 10 years before returning to photography in 2001. Her work has been published in magazines such as Leica World, Lens Culture, Shots Magazine and many more. Carolle Benitah’s series ‘Photos-Souvenirs’ was also selected to exhibit in FotoFest’s 2014 Discoveries of the Meeting Place showcase of past Biennial portfolio reviews.
Analysis of Carolle Benitah’s work
“Pomplondin” – Carolle Benitah (from series ‘Photos-Souvenirs’ published 2016)
This image, named “Pomplondin”, is gently lit using natural lighting. The sunlight may be slightly overcast as the image has a lot of grey, dark tones. The light is coming from behind the people in the photograph as the shadows are cast in front of them. The brightest part of the photograph is the white-washed water flowing in the background.
The thin, red lines embroidered onto the image outline the family in the middle third of the photograph, proving them to be the focal point of the image. The organic, curving lines of water can be seen as leading lines as they direct the viewers eyes from one side of the image to the other, with the placement of the family in the middle.
There is no strong sense of repetition in this photograph, however the ripples in the waves can be seen as a form of echo, as they create a rhythmic pattern.
All the shapes in the image are organic and unorganised. This creates a sense of realism to the photo as the features are not artificially placed and the image is taken more in the spur of the moment, although the family is posing for the photo, there is no precise set up to the image.
There is a strong sense of depth in this photograph as it displays a shallow depth of field. The family, being the focal point, are in focus which contradicts the blurry background. The background can be seen as a somewhat empty space, as there is little detail to objects in this area. The only objects filling this space is the occasional person swimming in the background.
The photograph displays a mainly smooth texture due to the reflections in the water and the smooth flow of the waves. However this is contrasted by the rugged rocks in the background of the image, as the sharp edges juxtapose the gentle waters.
There is a range of tones from dark to light in this image which contradict eachother. For example, the lightest tones in the photograph can be seen in the foamy waves or the clothes of the people, and the darkest areas of the image can be seen in the background and foreground in the rocks and shadows.
In the image itself, there is no use of colour. However this is juxtaposed by the thin, red lines put in place by Benitah to create contrast between colour and monochromatic themes.
There is little arrangement in this photograph as the family in the foreground of the photo are posing for the photographer, however it is not formally arranged for a purpose. The scene seems moderately balanced as the focal point is placed in the middle third with rather equal amounts of background either side. There is no geometrical shaped imposed in the image although the rule of thirds is used.
Claude Cahun was a French lesbian photographer born in 1894 in Nantes, France. Cahun’s birth name given to her was Renee Mathilde Schwob, however she changed her legal name to Claude Cahun in 1917. Cahun was most recognised for her activist work repelling gender norms. She moved to Jersey in 1937 with her partner, Marcel Moore (named at birth as Suzanne Malherbe). The couple became active as resistance workers and propagandists during the German occupation of Jersey and the other Channel Islands. Cahun and Moore would attend Germany military events and placed activist leaflets in the pockets of soldiers, on chairs and even hid them in cigarette boxes for soldiers to later discover. Cahun continued to take self portraits presenting herself in non-binary characteristics until her later life, although she did not want to be famous therefore didn’t gain recognition for her photography until she died in 1954, after se and Moore had been arrested and sentenced to death in 1944 due to their activist movements. However before their death sentence, Jersey was liberated in 1945, resulting in both of their releases although Cahun later died due to being poorly treated in prison. Claude Cahun’s writings were published in 2002, as she leaves behind her iconic legacy in the non-binary and LGBTQ community.
The lighting in the image is rather soft, as it creates subtle shadows which can be seen in the face and especially under the eyes. However the juxtaposition between light and dark is still very intense. This is shown in the clothing, makeup and hair, and how they create an extreme contrast in tone against Cahun’s fair skin. The main source of light appears to be coming from behind the camera, as the face is lit quite evenly.
There is no distinct use of line in this photograph, as there is neither a repetition of line of use of leading lines, which makes the composition more complex.
Similar to the use of line, there is no representation of repetition in this image, presumably to focus on the activist message of the composition of the image.
The majority of the shapes in the image are organic and curved. The only representation of artificial shapes is the rounded weight in the hands of Cahun.
It is difficult to recognise the depth of field in this image as the background is made up of purely empty space, therefore making it difficult to compare the focal point’s focus with the background.
Although texture is not the main focus for this image, the overall texture of the image is rather smooth as the shapes in the photograph are organic and curved. There is no representation of rough or jagged edges.
There is a range of tones from dark to light in this image. The darkest sections of the photograph can be seen in the hair, clothing and makeup of Claude Cahun aswell as the background. The lightest areas are found in Cahun’s fair skin tone and the white images on the weights in Cahun’s arms. The image, overall, tends towards darkness as the entire background and elements of the foreground prioritise darker tones.
There is no colours featured in this photograph as the photo was taken in 1927, and colour photography was only made accessible in the late 1930’s. However I believe the vintage greyscale appearance of the photo adds a sense of intimidation and courage.
The composition of this photograph is very artificial and purposely set up. In the photograph, Cahun dresses as a ‘strong man’ from a circus, in order to create controversy over the stereotypical woman being weak or insignificant. This would have been a risky and revolutionary protest for both women and the LGBTQ community as these groups had been oppressed for centuries, yet Cahun celebrates her differences and sexuality.
Double or multi exposure is a technique used by photographers that uses layering in order to combine 2 or more photos into 1 to create an almost ghost-like affect. This can be done on film cameras by inserting used film back into the camera and taking photographs over the top of the film, or in Photoshop by layering images and adjusting the opacity.
Double Exposure moodboard
Double exposure inspired photoshop development
Original image
Edited image
Original image
Edited image
To edit these images I layered 3 images over each other and adjusted the opacity in order to fade out the images as they get further from the original image. I also used the monochrome filter on one of the layers to create a ghost-like affect.
The photographs highlighted in red are what I believe to be my least successful images. This is because these are out of focus, the worker’s eyes are closed or the image doesn’t focus on the aspect I want to highlight.
My most successful images are highlighted in green. I think these are my most successful photographs because they represent the worker in their environment, therefore they represent the theme of environmental portraits the best. These images are taken at various angles in order to achieve different perspectives. Also, the use of the essential worker’s uniform notifies the audience the role the worker plays, which was the key signifier for this project.
Photoshop development
Original imageEdited image
To edit this image, I used the monochromatic filter and adjusted both curve levels and contrast in order to make the photograph more dramatic. The mask creates a focal point as it is a point of extreme contrast against the darker tones.
“Edward Joseph Bellew, 2nd Baron Bellew” – Henry Mullins (circa 1862)
Henry Mullins moved from London to Jersey in 1848. He set up his studio knows as the “Royal Saloon” at 7 Royal Square, where he worked in partnership with Mr Millward for a year. He then worked alone in the same studio for another 26 years. He would take multiple portraits of high class people such as police officers and the Royal Militia, and narrow his portraits down into a set of 4 images cut into oval shapes, and placed into a diamond formation.
Analysis of Diamond Cameo images
Headshot of Philip Baudins – Henry Mullins (circa 1850)
Henry Mullins uses 2-point-lighting in his portrait photographs to gently illuminate the face. The soft lighting subtly highlights the high points of the face without creating harsh shadows. However, some of Henry Mullins photographs can be seen as over-exposed as not a lot of detail of the face is captured, and the photos tend towards lightness although the clothing creates a strong contrast between light and dark.
He instructs the model to turn themselves at different angles in order to capture multiple perspectives of the face. Mullins uses a white background so that nothing is distracted from the face. He would usually take photographs of the models entire body and cut down the selection of images to create headshots
Once Henry Mullins takes the images, he cuts them down into a card which was commonly traded amongst both friends and visitors around the island.
Photoshoot Plan
Diamond Cameos inspired photoshoot
For this photoshoot, I used two-point lighting with soft box lighting to gently alluminate the face without creating harsh shadows. I took photos of the face at different angles and used a tripod in order to keep the camera still and prevent the photos from blurring.
Photoshop Development
Original Image
Original Image
Original Image
Edited Image
Edited Images
To edit these images into the diamond cameo style similar to the technique used by Henry Mullins, I used the elliptical marquee tool and cut oval shapes over the face of the model. I then copied and pasted these onto a new page on Photoshop and arranged them into a diamond configuration. For one of my diamond cameos, I used the monochrome filter to achieve the same effect that Mullins does in his images, however I tried a more vintage look on my second diamond portrait to give it a more modern look without discarding the aged appearance of the photographs.
In this photoshoot I experimented with soft box lighting and flash lighting. I used a transmitter to set off the box lights at the same time as the shutter speed to create an intense contrast between light and dark.
ISO=100
Exposure set manually
Shutter speed=1/125
Aperture=f/16
Experimenting with lighting photoshoot
The images highlighted in red are my least successful images because they are slightly out of focus, making them blurry. One is also underexposed which makes it too dark, preventing any visual contrast of light and dark.
The photographs highlighted in green are most successful because they are not too over or under exposed and create a clear, strong contrast between light and dark.
Photoshop development
Original Image
Original Image
Edited Image
Edited Image
I wanted to keep the tones and colours in the image similar but slightly cooler, however I increased the contrast in order to create a stronger juxtaposition between light and dark and then cropped the image to get rid of excess background that I didn’t want in my final photo.
The first portrait image was taken by photography pioneer, Robert Cornelius, in 1839. The method of daguerreotype, used in the 1840’s and 1850’s, made portrait photography popular because of its relatively low cost and reduced sitting time for the subject, which lead to the rise in popularity of portrait photography. Portraiture aims to capture the personality of a person or group through creative methods such as lighting and backdrops. There is essentially four approaches in terms of portraiture, these include constructionist, environmental, candid and creative. These styles have been developed over time for different purposes, for example, technical, artistic or cultural.
Audrey Hepburn for a “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” press shoot – John Kobal (1961)
Environmental Portraits
“Otis James” – Benny Migliorino (date unknown)
An environmental portrait depicts the subject in a location associated with who they are. These photos could be taken in the subjects place of work, rest or play. The subject will often engage with the camera with a neutral pose or facial expression, with the photographers aim of portraying features such as their gender, class or lifestyle.
Analysis of an environmental portrait
American photojournalist W. Eugene Smith, New York City – Arnold Newman (1977)
Arnold Newman captured this environmental portrait of an American photojournalist, named Eugene Smith, in 1977. It provides the viewer with a deeper knowledge of Smith’s chaotic life, and the profession of a journalist in general.
This photograph is lit with a harsher, artificial light. This provides harsh shadows and bolder highlights. This lighting creates an extreme juxtaposition between the light and dark areas, with the lightest areas being the white sheets of paper and the darkest areas being Eugene Smith’s all-black outfit in the foreground and various black boxes in the background.
The lines in the image contrast against one another as the photo combines both curved and geometrical lines. There is no specific pattern using lines throughout the composition, however geometrical shapes such as squares and cubes are used.
There is no form of repetition used in the image as the background consists of pure chaos and pandemonium. The contrasting shapes and tones sit behind Eugene Smith, who wears an all-black outfit to provide some sort of uniformity to the image. Additionally, there is no use of echo or reflection in the image. However it can be argues that a repetition of geometric shapes can be seen in the photograph.
There is a wide depth of field in this image which provides a strong sense of depth. This allows for the viewer to focus on both the background and foreground. The wide depth means that the background can be easily seen which is essential for an environmental portrait. The strong sense of depth also allows every object in the background has a clear shape, which adds to the pandemonium of the image as a whole.
The majority of the shapes in the image are straight-edged geometric shapes. For example, there is a repeated pattern of squared shapes within the photo, these can be seen in the sheets of paper around the room and the Polaroid pictures on the back wall.
It is hard to tell the texture of the image as a multitude of surfaces are represented. For example, the soft texture of the sofa Smith is sitting on is contrasted with the sharp texture of the paper edges scattered around the room.
The constant contrast in the tones of the image create almost a stressful atmosphere to the image as the lack of uniformity from dark to light creates a disorganized look. I feel as though the image tends towards darkness as the larger shapes of the image are made of darker tones.
The monochromatic filter of the image allows for the contrasting tones to be further highlighted through shadow and light. I think this image was taken in black and white to give some form of tranquility amongst the chaos the photograph. If the image was in colour, the viewer may get distracted by too many aspects of the image and therefore lose interest.
The composition of the image is unorganized and unbalanced. There seems to be no use of technical organisation in the photograph as the various objects are randomly scattered around the room to represent the messy life of Eugene Smith. This means there is a lack of rule of thirds, which makes it difficult to understand the composition of the image.
I think the images highlighted in red are my least successful images for this photoshoot as they don’t focus on one person and are rather vague in terms of capturing identity. The last image highlighted in red also isn’t in focus, and Erwitt’s work focuses on a sharp, focused portrait or candid.
The images highlighted in green are my most successful images as they capture the identity of the person much better, as they are the main focal point for the image. I feel like these photographs also capture more interesting individuals because of their clothing or facial expression.
Photoshop Development
Original Image
Edited Image
Original Image
Edited Image
Original Image
Edited Image
To edit my images, I used a simple black and white filter and adjusted the brightness and contrast of the images. The use of the monochromatic theme makes the images more similar to the work of Elliott Erwitt, as the lack of colour is the motif of his work.
Comparison between mine and Elliott Erwitt’s work
‘Crowd at Armistice Day Parade, Pittsburgh’ – Elliot Erwitt (1950)
My Work
I feel there is both similarities and differences between my work and the work of Elliott Erwitt. In terms of differences, Erwitt’s work was produced many years ago, therefore there is a vintage feel to his work. On the other hand, my image has a clear modern look to it as it was taken in the present day, however I feel like the through editing, the use of the monochromatic filter helps to produce the illusion of the image being taken at an earlier date. Additionally, I feel like both mine and Erwitt’s work capture the theme of identity well through the clothing the people wear, as the older models both provide an older fashion
“WEST GERMANY. West Berlin.The Berlin Wall” – Henri Cartier-Bresson (1962)
Henri Cartier-Bresson was born to a wealthy textile manufacturer in France in 1908. Because of this, he was supported financially by his parents to allow him to explore his photography career. He was a humanist photographer and was considered a master of candid photography. Cartier-Bresson first started discovering his love for photography in family holidays, and received his first Leica camera in 1931. His photos were first featured in an exhibit in the Julien Levy Gallery in New York in 1933. In 1952, Cartier-Bresson published his book of photographs named”Images on the sly” or “Hastily taken images”. Cartier-Bresson later retired in 1970, but continued to paint until he died in 2004.
Analysis of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work
“Madrid” – Henri Cartier-Bresson (1933)
The lighting in this image is harsh, which allows for strong shadows and highlights to be created. The seemingly natural lighting is projected from the top right corner of the image, which casts shadows infront of the children. The harsh whiteness of the wall in the background juxtaposes with the dullness of the darker features of the people in the foreground, for example the clothing and the hair.
Although there is no repetition of line within the photograph, the leading line at the bottom of the wall leads the viewers eyes from one side of the image to the other, with the focal points of the people either side of this line.
There is a repetition of shape in this photograph which can be seen in the background of the image. The repeated, shady squares on the back wall of the image juxtapose the radiant white that they sit on. The use of black and white could be interpreted as a form of repetition, with the constant contrast between light and dark.
The majority of the shapes in this image are natural and organic, especially in the foreground of the photograph, however this is contrasted with the geometric squares repeated in the background.
The wide depth of field allows for the viewer to recognize the image as a whole, with both the background and foreground visible. The background is used as an empty space in order for the audience to focus on the figures in the foreground of the image.
The overall texture of the image has a smooth appearance as there is no representation of rough surfaces or texture. However this portrait image focuses more on tone and light rather than the texture of the photograph.
There is a strong contrast in tone in this photograph due to the use of the black and white filter on the image. Because of the monochrome appearance, the lack of colour means that the viewer can focus on the juxtaposition between light and dark.
The composition is unbalanced and unorganised, as the image was taken in the spur of the moment. There is a lack of use of thirds within the image as there is multiple focal points which don’t feature in the middle third of the photograph. However the focal points of the people act almost as a border around the bottom left and right thirds of the photo.
Elliot Erwitt
“Marilyn Monroe, New York – Elliott Erwitt (1956)
Elliott Erwitt, born in 1928 as a French-born American, is an advertsing and documentary photographer known for hus work of black and white candid photos in everyday settings. In 1939, Erwitt moved from Italy where he lived with his family, to the United States where he studied photography and filmmaking at Los Angeles City College at the New School for Social Research, he then graduated in 1950. In 1951, Erwitt was drafted intot he army, where he served as a photographer’s assisstant while stationed in France and Germany. Elliott Erwitt successfully started his career when a former director of the Farm Security Administration’ photography department hired him to produce a projects for the Standard Oil Company, he then became a freelance photographer to produce work for Collier’s, Look, Life and Holiday. Elliott Erwitwas then accepted as a member of Magnum Photos since 1954.
Analysis of Elliott Erwitt’s work
“Honfluer, France” – Elliott Erwitt (1968)
The harsh lighting projects harsh shadows and highlights in this image, which can be seen around the chair in the foreground of the image, aswell as around the features of the peoples faces such as under the eyes and around the jawline of the man in the backgrgound. As the image is taken inside, it is suggested that artficial lighting has been used to capture this photograph.
There is little use of line within this photograph, although the outline of the table and chairs can be said to act as leading lines, curving towards the boy in the middle third of the image, who acts as a focal point.
There is no use of repetition or echo within this photograph, as the composition is natural and has not be seen up by the photographer.
The shapes in this photograph are all natural and organic. The artificial shapes, such as the tables and chairs, have a curved outline to them. However these shapes have no relation to each other.
There is a very narrow depth of field in this photograph, as very little of the image is in focus. The only section which is in focus is the boy in the middle third of the image, which further proves this as the focal point.
Because of the even surfaces of the chairs and tables, the photograph overall has a smooth texture to it, however there is little to no use of texture in this image as this is not the main focus of the photographer.
There is a limited range of tone within this photograph as the image displays a black and white appearance. The lightest tones in this photograph can be seen in the clothing of the people, specifically the white shirt of the boy in the foreground. This is juxtaposed with the darker tones in the image, for example the chair in the foreground and the boy’s harsh, black jumper. Overall, this image tends towards darkness.
There is no use of colour in this image, which allows the viewer to focus on the use of tone and the narrow depth of field.
The composition of this photograph is unorganised and unbalanced. The majority of Erwitt’s work is taken of unusual features and personalities of the everyday settings. As he does this in the spur of the moment, his images lack compositional uniformity in order to understand the photograph better.
Comparison between Elliott Erwitt and Henri Cartier-Bresson
Photograph by Henri Cartier-Bresson
Photograph by Elliott Erwitt
Elliott Erwitt and Henri Cartier-Bresson both share the use of monochromatic themes within their work, which allows the viewer to focus on other aspects of the image, such as tone or simply the message of the photograph. Both photographers also have a sense of almost aged photography as the use of black and white adds a vintage appearance. Both Erwitt and Cartier-Bresson take their images in the spur od the moment, which is why they are hard to understand compositionally.
On the other hand, I believe the main difference between Elliott Erwitt and Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work is the purpose of their photography. For example, Henri Cartier-Bresson acts on his humanist interest in order to take documentary-like photos, whereas Elliott Erwitt focuses more on capturing the abnormalities in everyday life.
